1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for operating a camera function in a portable terminal based on a sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, as users' interest in a digital camera rapidly increases, portable terminals mounting a plurality of cameras therein are being provided. These cameras are used for capturing images at different angles or for a different purpose. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, cameras 101, 103, and 105 are typically provided in a folder inner portion, a front side, and a rear side, respectively. The camera 101 mounted in the folder inner portion is used for video communication, the camera 103 mounted in the front side is used for capturing images of the user, and the camera 105 mounted in the rear side is used for capturing a different object.
Most of cameras mounted in the conventional portable terminal are fixed at a specific position, thus have some drawbacks. In operation, the orientation of captured image may be changed due to the user's motion of rotating the portable terminal. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when a user rotates a portable terminal mounting a camera unit therein by 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees and captures an image, the direction of an image displayed on a lens or a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen and the direction of an image actually stored in the portable terminal are different from each other. That is, even when the direction of the portable terminal changes, the user cannot recognize the changed direction through the screen or lens, but the captured result image is rotated according to the direction of the portable terminal and stored or transferred to a different apparatus.
Meanwhile, since most of portable terminals are configured for right-handed users, left-handed users have an inconvenience in using the portable terminal. For example, a portable terminal has a shutter button for capturing at a position that is easy to use with a right hand, and accordingly, a left-handed user has an inconvenience of having to press the shutter button located at the position that is difficult to press with a left hand, or press the shutter button with an unfamiliar right hand.